Reducing weight and size are paramount in the design of small unmanned vehicles. Such vehicles are now being sought that can operate while being exposed to, or after being exposed to aquatic environments. For example, it may be preferred to land an unmanned aerial vehicle on water, rather than on land, either to lessen the impact of landing, or because it is a more easily retrievable location. Conventional connectors are either not completely waterproof, not suited for total submersion, will not function if water is introduced, are susceptible to failure if corrosion is present, or are too bulky and/or heavy. Furthermore, conventional waterproof connectors are often designed for extended use, which is not always required for expendable small unmanned vehicles. Therefore, conventional waterproof connectors also can be too expensive to fabricate.
Want is needed is a light weight, robust, inexpensive waterproof connector suited for harsh aquatic environments. Also, what is needed is an efficient, light weight system integrating a waterproof connector into the structure of a lightweight vehicle. Further, what is needed is a blind mate connector that can operate without shorting even if water is introduced.